Football
Features
BT’s ‘Beyond Limits’ rebrand informs CSR-focused partnerships with Home Nations FAs
The telecommunication company’s 2019 rebrand saw it move toward a focus on community and social engagement, something it is intending to carry through into its lead partnerships of all four UK football associations.
CAS pro/rel ruling raises questions over Fifa’s reluctance to force initiative in US
For many years now, the issue of introducing promotion and relegation into the structure of US soccer has been one of contention. Bob Williams explores what is happening at the moment.
Will Fifa’s cap on commissions curb agent ‘excesses’?
Fifa’s proposals to cap agent commissions has set it on a collision course with some of the most powerful agents in world football. In this explainer, Ben Cronin outlines the reasoning behind the reforms and the legal arguments for and against them.
Exclusive | Jorge Mendes: Why agents are ‘an essential part of football’s market dynamics’
SportBusiness speaks to Jorge Mendes about his role as a football agent and how it has developed.
Atlético Madrid looks to CPL team to expand the club’s brand in North America
Spanish club Atlético Madrid recently acquired Canadian Premier League expansion team Atlético Ottawa. Bob Williams looks at how the LaLiga giants hope to use this move to expand its presence overseas.
LaLiga kicks off media-rights tender in 16 European countries
LaLiga, the governing body of Spanish football’s top two divisions, has launched its invitation to tender covering broadcast rights in 16 European territories.
Genius Sports signs data agreement with Singapore FA
Sports data company Genius Sports says a new data partnership with the Football Association of Singapore will underpin a "digital transformation drive" at the sports body
DAZN Media launches comprehensive football ad package
DAZN Media, the advertising division of sports media company DAZN Group, has launched a new football package that will give a brand partner the chance to reach over 40 markets through its OTT, digital,…
Liga MX reportedly to stop promotion and relegation for five years
Mexico's Liga MX is expected to put a hold on promotion and relegation with the second-tier Ascenso MX for five years, according to reports in Mexico
Wolves turns to Ipsos’ retail monitoring to understand the customer journey
Why Premier League side Wolves has engaged Ipsos Retail Performance's footfall-counting technology in its club megastore.
Former Fifa and CFG executive Johnson bullish as he starts FFA tenure
With top sponsors jumping ship, Football Federation Australia’s new CEO James Johnson faces a tough start to his new role. But there is confidence he has the know-how to turn things around. John Duerden reports.
Minamino signing helps Liverpool on long road to catch United in Asia
Signing Japanese international Takumi Minamino will be a boon for Liverpool's commercial activity in Asia, but the club's strategy to become number one in the region goes beyond a single signing. John Duerden reports.
Malaysian FA pushes club privatisation but weak revenues mean state support is here to stay
Malaysia’s football clubs are to be formally privatised this year, but the journey from state support to self-sufficiency looks fraught, with questions over the future of broadcasting and sponsorship revenues. John Duerden takes a closer look.
Dan Haddad | Liverpool takes a chance on Nike in search of sales growth
Dan Haddad, head of commercial strategy at Octagon UK, looks at the potential upside for Liverpool in opting to switch kit supplier rights from New Balance to Nike.
Ajax’s Champions League run boosts visibility, but growth is underpinned by creative commercial team
Ajax's global popularity outstrips all of its domestic rivals, allowing the club to position itself as a brand platform for the Netherlands and beyond. Its chief commercial officer, Menno Geelen, tells Adam Nelson about the effects of Ajax's surprising run to the Champions League semi-finals, and how a creative commercial department has helped the club compete at the highest level.
Young, gifted and Parisian: why PSG means more than football to global youth
PSG wants the same kind of brand cachet as baseball’s New York Yankees or Italian motor racing team Ferrari. Frank Dunne reports.
Unsuccessful initial tender raises questions over K-League’s domestic media strategy
Pooling media rights to Korea’s K-League with national-team matches was supposed to create a property more valuable than the sum of its parts. John Duerden investigates why it isn’t working yet.
A 2021 Club World Cup can deliver on both Chinese and Fifa ambitions
Why Fifa has chosen to host the 2021 Club World Cup in China, and how the competition is a step forward towards China's football ambitions. Zhang Dan reports.
João Félix, Ryan Giggs and Miralem Pjanic set for the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards as Best Partnership Award makes debut
João Félix of Atlético Madrid Will be joined by football legends Ryan Giggs and Miralem Pjanić on stage at the 11th edition of the annual Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, organised in partnership with Dubai Spo…
Football and Rocket League: A burgeoning relationship on the rocks
Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco have all invested in Rocket League esports, but the business case for doing so is shaky at best. Callum McCarthy examines an esport with huge, unfulfilled potential.
Uefa and Team get off to winning Champions League start but caution prevails
Media rights increases for the Uefa Champions League in the UK, US and France have vindicated Team Marketing's decision to start its sales process early in these markets. But the agency won't be getting carried away just yet, writes Frank Dunne.
Beneliga discussion surfaces again, but is more of a symptom than a solution
The ever-growing influence of Europe’s top-five leagues is squeezing the life out of professional football in Europe’s lowlands. Callum McCarthy examines the commercial pros and cons of a merger between the Dutch Eredivisie and the Belgian Pro League.
How the Bundesliga courted its Indonesian fanbase with Jakarta experience
The German Bundesliga runs live fan experience events in markets around the world to nurture its international fanbases. SportBusiness attended the Bundesliga Experience Jakarta in November to see how such an events is put together.
Turkish football creates its own FFP to deal with years of mismanagement
Turkey’s qualification for the finals of Uefa Euro 2020 has given the country’s football authorities fresh hope that their ‘Golden Generation’ of young players will help drive the commercial transformation of the …
New roadmap for Indian football seeks to lead ISL, I-League clubs to financial stability
After years of wrangling, a new roadmap has established the new Indian Super League as the top tier of Indian football ahead of the older I-League. But while the relatively glamorous competition has already improved Indian football off the pitch, there are major challenges ahead as clubs who participate continue to suffer financial losses and big clubs on the outside are yet to commit. John Duerden reports.
Real Madrid’s global partnership with Microsoft helps club to 30 per cent digital revenue growth
Spanish football giants Real Madrid have grown digital revenues over 30 per cent over the course of five-year partnership with Microsoft, creating a digital marketing platform that allows the club to engage with, and learn from, it's 450 million-strong global fanbase.
DFL wants Virtual Bundesliga to be seen as its third competition brand
The Bundesliga's esports property is seen as a valuable tool with which to engage a younger fanbase and expand the reach of the league and its commercial partners. Story by Bob Williams.
Bayern Munich at crossroads as club prepares for life without Hoeness and Rummenigge
As Bayern Munich have all but elected a new club president, Bob Williams takes a look at how the club's executive board is set to change in the coming seasons.